In the predawn darkness of April 30, 1943, the body of a Royal Marines major washed ashore on the southwestern coast of Spain, carrying papers that revealed the Allies' plan to invade Europe through Greece, and tipping off the German high command. What made this episode unique—and macabre—in the annals of World War II was that the "major" was actually a deceased Welsh laborer, and the documents were a meticulously designed forgery that successfully misled the Nazis. Codenamed "Mincemeat" and immortalized in the film The Man Who Never Was, this audacious, high-stakes scheme is documented here in detail, revealing how the architects of the plan navigated a maze of medical, technical, and logistical issues to deceive the enemy at the highest strategic levels.

"What comes through most clearly in [Denis] Smyth's book is the incredible complexity of the undertaking.... It is fascinating stuff, much like a police procedural on television, and more than a little ghoulish."—HistoryNet.com

"Smyth completes the story.... He presents the complex processes of the false information's evaluation by German intelligence, the high command, and Hitler himself. Second, he describes the painstaking method by which the British verified Mincemeat's progress. And third, he relates the vital achievement of Allied intelligence to convince the military commanders to undertake the deception. As a strategic success, Mincemeat has few rivals and no superiors."—Publishers Weekly